Book Review : Queen of Mahishmathi - Book 3 - Bahubali - Before the Beginning

 

Queen of Mahishmathi
by Anand Neelakantan
Genre: Fiction

"Politics is about mining religion and selling what is holy, son"

This is the final book of the trilogy Bahubali - Before the Beginning. It neatly ties all the loose ends and makes the story of the two part blockbuster movie Bahubali sensible. I wish the books by Neelakantan in this series had also been made into movies. This is the much needed back story for any Bahubali fans to understand the characters and their motivations.

Sivagami loves Mahadeva but why does she marry his brother, Bjjaladeva? Why does she treat Bahubali, the son of Mahadeva on par with her own son Balladeva? Why do the Kalakeyas attack Mahishmathi? How does Sivagami end up as the Queen of Mahishmthi whose word is revered by all? Why is Bijaladeva not the king but just the husband of Sivagami, the queen?  

Neelakantan spins a fascinating story that crisscrosses the story of three women - Chitraveni, Achi Nagamma and Sivagami, their strategies and their love for their respective people. Chitraveni who would do anything for her daughter and the matriarchal system, Achi Nagamma who would do anything to preserve nature and Sivagami who rises from an orphan to become the queen of  Mahishmathi. In telling their stories, we also learn about the people they rule over - poor who opt to become soldiers to save their family, young women who would do anything to save their children and people who consciously opt to save nature from the greed of mankind.  During the Covid times, it makes one pause and think about  the destruction humans have let loose in the name of development and globalisation. It also gives us hope that we can change the wave of destruction if we think about all this rationally and work together.

The writing is sharp and just when you think you know what is going to happen, the author surprises you. The book is a page turner. It covers multiple themes in politics, economics, greed, rage, cultural hegemony and life in general. Makes you wonder if the only decent politicians are women and men are mining everything from religion to hunger in politics.

If you would like to read the book, buy it here

Book review : Chaturanga

 

Chaturanga
by
Anand Neelakantan
Genre: Fiction
Westland , 2020

"Make up stories and repeat them often. Scream about how no one who is against Mahishmathi is going to be spared. There will be enough fools to fall for it. Nothing sells like nationalism and religion in our country. Offer prayers at all the temples along the way. Talk about our ancient culture and tradition. Fools who have done nothing in life will feel proud that they were born in this goddamn country, though they are living like worms. Be their fucking hero. They will soon be devoted to you, willing to kill and die for you, and to lynch anyone who dares question you." - Chaturanga.


Chaturanga is the second book of the prequel trilogy of "Bahubali - before the beginning" and is possibly the best book I have read so far by Anand Neelakantan. Book 1 ends with the king demanding Sivagami kill her foster father ( the general of Mahishmathi and the one who took care of her since she was orphaned) to prove her patriotism to Mahishmathi. Book 2 - Chaturanga means Chess and the book is aptly titled as this is about politics of running a kingdom and how politicians deal with the economic collapse that can lead to political collapse. It also exposes the diversion tactics politicians employ to keep the people occupied while they go after their own vision of what is right while people die just to stay in power.  So does Sivagami kill her foster father who is her father's best friend just to become a landowner?  How does the slave Kattappa live with himself after killing his younger brother Shivappa at the command of the prince Bijalladeva who rapes and murders Shivappa's fiance despite knowing the prince is wrong? Will the slave ever be free? What happens to the book Sivagami's father has left her and which is stolen? Does she manage to retrive it? What about rebellion of the Vaithalikas - does it die with Shivappa's death? What is Pattaraya really up to?  Will Acchi Nagamma and her network of spies be able to beat the Mahishmathi rulers at their own game? How does patriarchy conquer matriarchial culturally ruled places? In the chess game of politics, does truth or power triumph? How does a freedom fighting group of idealist friends change into enemies ? Who lives and who dies? What about the disappearing children? Will someone come to their rescue? Book 2 deals with all these questions and more.

From the power corridors of Mahishmathi to the matriarchial ruled Kadiramangalam, from the leper colonies to the secret temples in the forests, Neelakantan weaves a tale of power, betrayal, injustice and survival with an ease that only a master storyteller can do. The only book I can compare it with is the Indian epic Mahabharata for the sheer number of stories within stories. Even the epic seems too simple in comparison to Chaturanga where there is no Draupadi seeking revenge or fight between cousins for power.  This one is much larger as no one is related or taking revenge for betrayal but is more realistic.

The writing is crisp, Not only has his writing got better but the narration and plot points are superb. If Book 1 was a surprise, this book will blow you away as it is not only a page turner but is a insight into real politics of the world.  It cuts through the crap of politicians spewing ideology and explains how politics is done in the world where the political ideology is nothing but a diversion employed by politicians to stay in power. The book ends leaving you wanting for more as you are left wondering what will happen and I am looking forward to reading the book 3.

It is a great book to read during lockdown. If you wish to buy it, click this   

Before Baahubali - The Rise of Sivagami

The Rise of Sivagami
by Anand Neelakantan
492 pages, Westland, 2017
Genre : Fiction
Language : English and mutliple Indian languages.


With people going mad about Baahubali2 - the conclusion, and social media pointing out the box office record - 1000 crores in nine days already, I am sure the director must be a happy man. However, I would suggest, people like me who have not seen the movie yet, read the book first to get a sense of people,  place and its history. This was missing in Baahubali 1.

How did a casteless society descend into slavery and child murder? Why are the corrupt allowed to live while the innocent murdered without question ? How did Mahishmathi descend to such a level and to protect what secret? Why is skin color which was unimportant before now so important? Neelakantan asks and answers these questions and more in his book, The Rise of Sivagami.

Sivagami is an orphan whose father, Devarayya is killed and branded a traitor. Her only aim in life is to demolish the royal family and seek revenge for her father's death. Neelakantan tells the story of orphan Sivagami and her rise to the level of Bhoomipathi - a title her father once held.  By telling the story of Sivagami and her  friend Kamakshi, we are also taken through the stories of young slaves obedient Kattappa and his rebellious brother Shivappa who longs for freedom, the young princes Bijjala and Mahadeva, siblings who are complete opposites in character, the original tribes who had been driven out of their land and are forced to take refuge in the forest by betrayal and not by war, the pirates who raid villages, rape women and kidnap children so they can be sold in the kingdom while the royal family and the bureaucrats of the kingdom turn a blind eye. It is a place where loyal people are killed while the corrupt are rewarded. What is damning secret in the document that Sivagami finds in the ancient language which she cannot read?

The pace is fast. The prose is poetic at many points but predictable at times if you had already seen Baahubali 1 in which some of the scenes slowly makes sense now. Since this is a story of three generations and a horrible secret hidden from the people of the kindgom, I look forward to reading the sequel as the book ends abruptly with a teaser - Sivagami now has to kill her father's best friend or be killed. And how does she go from being the destroyer of the royal family to becoming its Raja Matha?

Go here to buy the book